Can-opener.



C. S. FINNEY.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2|, 1914.

1 175,942 Patented Mar. 21, 1916.

unun 1 I III III" IIITE SA CHARLES SEARS FINNEY,

OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 21,1916.

Application filed March 21, 1914. Serial No. 826,251.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnAnLns S. FINNEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a can opener and especially to wire rips inwhich the opening device is adapted to be placed in position at the timethe can is sealed and will thereby be held in an operative manner uponthe upper portion of the can.

Another object of this invention is the production of a can opener whichis used in combination with metallic cans and is placed in position atthe time the can is sealed, thereby being held in a manner so as toeasily rip the cap from the can when desired.

- With these and other objects in view this invention consists ofcertain novel combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a perspective view of the upperportion of the can showing the opening or ripping device in position.Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the assembled device. Fig. 3 is a sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2

looking in direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a section taken on theline 44 of Fig. 2 looking in direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is adetailed perspective view of the opener or wire rip.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by numerals it will be seen thatthis can opener or Wire rip is used in connection with metallic canswhich comprise a body portion 1 having at their upper ends a dependingportion 2 which extends to form the inwardly extending flange 3, thisflange 3 terminating in an upwardly bent annular lip 4. This flangeextends annularlyaround the upper portion of the can and extends atright angles to the body portion 1 of the can so as to be in ahorizontal plane. For the purpose of sealing the upper portion of thiscan, the cap 5 having the annular depending lip 6 formed integralthereon is positioned so as to allow the lower edge of this lip to restupon the flange 3. By re ferring particularly to Fig. 4 it will benoticed that the lip 6 is greater in size than the height of the flange4, and thereby will space the body of the cap 5 from the upper edge ofthe flange 4, and furthermore,- it will be noted that the cap 5 is ofsutlicient size to allow the lip 6 to be spaced at a distance from theupper face of the lip 4, thereby forming a receiving portion 7. This cap5 is held in position upon the flange '3 by means of the solder or likematerial 8 which is poured upon the upper portion of the flange 3 asdisclosed clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 so as to allow the solder 8 toengage the outer portion of the rim 6 and the depending portion 2 of theflange 3 and rest upon the upper portion of the flange. Since the solderwill adhere to these several portions of the flange and cap, the capwill be held in firm engagement with the flange while-the opening in theupper portion of the can willbe efliciently sealed.

For the purpose of opening or ripping the cap 5 from engagement with theupper portion of the can there is provided a Wire rip which comprises asingle strand of wire 9 which is positioned within the space 7 formedbetween the lip 4 and rim 6. This wire 9 may, of course, be formed inany de sired shape but as herein disclosed it is circular and isprovided with an ofl"-set portion 10 having a finger 11 terminating in ahandle portion 12.

When this device is assembled the circular rip wire 9 is positioned uponthe upper portion of the flange 3 so as to engage the annular lip 4. Thecap 5 is then placed in position so as to allow the annular rim 6thereof to incase the wire 9 and form a closure for the upper portion ofthe can body 1. The solder 8 is then poured upon the upper portion ofthe flange, thereby forming an efficient seal for the can. The ofl-setportion 10 of theripping wire 9 extends through the outer portion of thecap 5 as shown at 13 while the finger 11 will rest snugly upon the upperportion of the cap 5 and will be held in position by means of the flap14 which is formed or held in any suitable manner upon the centralportion of the cap 5. In this manner the device will assume 'a verycompact position for allowing the same to be placed in a very smallplace for shipment or storage without danger of the finger 11 or handle12 being positioned in the way. When it is desired to open the can thehandle may be pulled from engagement with the flap 14. By pulling thefinger-and handle to a vertical position as disclosed in dotted lines inFig. 3 the ripping movement or opening of the can may be started. Bycontinued pulling upon the finger 11 the wire 9 will begin to lift orrip the cap 5 from engagement with the flange 3 and solder 8. Since thebody portion of the cap 5 is positioned at a spaced distance beyond theupper portion of the annular lip 4 sufficient room will be allowed forthe operation'of the wire 9 to pull or rip the cap from engagement withthe solder without causing the lip 4 to be bent out of position, owingto the fact that as the wire is pulled upwardly above the same and willmove inwardly as disclosed in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The wire 9 will bepositioned above the upper portion of the lip 4 and will therefore liftor rip in its correct vertical position. When this device is used byforming the wide flange and having the cap 5 positioned at a' spaceddistance above the lip 4 after the cap has been lifted or ripped fromengagement with the upper portion of the can, the lip will remain in itscorrect position, thereby preventing dirt or refuse from dropping intothe can and will allow the can to be again usedfor suitable purposes,owing to the fact that in opening the can the cap will be lifted fromthe upper portion of the can without injuring the From the foregoingdescription it will be seen that a simple and eflicient seal has beenproduced for the upper portion of a can which is used in combinationwith an eflicient rip wire whereby the cap may be easily lifted orripped from the upper portion of the can without injuring the retainingflange and lip of the can body.

I claim In a device of the class described, the combination with a canbody having an integral inwardly extending flange formed at a spaceddistance from the upper portion thereof and terminating in an annularupwardly extending lip, a rip wire carried by said flange and bearingupon said annular lip, a cap having a depending annular rim positionedover said lip and said wire, said rim being of a greater height thansaid lip whereby the body portion of said cap will be held at a spaceddistance above said lip and said wire, whereby said cap will form anefficient closure for said can without interference from said wire, saidwire extending outwardly through said cap, and a filler means carried bythe outer portions of said flange upon the outer portion of said rim ofsaid cap whereby a seal will be formed for said cap and can body, saidrim being adapted to protect said means, said wire being so as to moveupwardly into engagement with the body portion of said cap adjacent theupper portion of said rim and above said lip whereby when said cap isbeing ripped from said can the wire will not injure said lip wherebysaid lip will remain intact and prevent the passage of refuse into saidcan body.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES SEARS FINNEY. Witnesses:

JNO. A. STEES, CHARLES Swims,

w1re from said filler r. adapted to be pulled

